The present invention relates to devices providing visual indication of elapsed and ongoing values and parameters of a moving object such as speed, distance traveled, engine rotation, oil pressure, fuel reading, satellite navigational map readings as well as various warnings. The device is intended for usage on various types of automobiles and other vehicles including military transports used on the ground, air or water and require human interaction. The principal difference of the present invention is as follows:                Vehicular data as mentioned above and that is formulated within driver's line of sight is displayed via collimated means.        The shape, size and the color spectrum of the presented data is derived from the 2 primary direction positions of the driver's view: the dashboard or the outside environment.        Display mode adjustments are fully automatic and are derived from the direction of the driver's view by tracking positioning of the eyeballs at any given moment.        
The conception for the suggested multifunctional collimator indicator is necessitated by the need to augment safety measures as well as lower psychophysical strain levels relating to operating motor vehicles and other moving objects. For instance, operating an automobile at high speeds and/or under severe traffic conditions.
At this time, a number of high end models of selected car manufacturers such as Cadillac and BMW are equipped with some or all of the 3 types of gauges and indicators listed below:                Traditional needle type or digital indicators mounted inside the dashboard behind the steering wheel.        Navigation System display screen, usually mounted in the center of the dashboard on the symmetrical axis of a given vehicle.        Heads-Up windshield indicators that are positioned above or “behind” the vehicle's dashboard and which on the background of an outside environment project into “infinity” graphical monochrome (commonly green or orange colored) display of selected critical parameters of a moving vehicle. The vertical optical axis of the indicator also passes through the axis of a steering wheel and is directed at a point located on the same level as the driver's eyes.        
The gauges that are positioned inside the dashboard are standard and usually vary from one another only by design, color and sizes. Regardless of the vehicle's type and size, the distance between the driver's eyes and gauges is constant with only minimal variations dictated by driver's height and seat positioning.
The navigation system display is positioned on the vehicular axis of symmetry usually in the middle or upper portions of the dashboard. In order to obtain readings, this setup requires a head movement in the direction of the navigational display by the driver. While engaged in the activity of obtaining updated reading off the navigational display, the driver's ability to track the ever changing conditions of the outside environment is limited only to peripheral vision which severely handicaps one's judgment, especially in extreme conditions.
The quality of the display from the traditional gauges and the satellite navigational screens is greatly affected by the lighting factors of the external and internal environments. One of the most challenging conditions for obtaining quality readings pertains to convertible automobiles. In these autos, the quality of the reading acquisition process from vehicular gauges and navigational displays is directly subjected to the intensity of direct sunlight, causing hardship in obtaining quality and timely readings. The usage of sunshields on the gauges helps however does not serve as a solution to the problem.
The glance shifting of the eyes between the outside environment, vehicular gauges, and the satellite navigational map requires constant accommodations and readjustments of the eyes which subsequently dictates a certain delay. The significant valid differentiation factors in lighting conditions inside and outside of the vehicle causes further significant time delay in visual eye adjustments. The above stated factors subsequently influence the driver's overall state, judgment and reactions, by so causing decline in safety of the vehicle's operability, especially under severe conditions.
Thus, the combined presences of the 3 above stated independent visual sources of information, located in different places inside a vehicle varying in operation, functionality, design and that are intended to facilitate safe operability of a motor vehicle, in actuality worsen a number overall safety factors.
The conducted patent search has shown that devices closest to the present invention by structural design are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,497,271, 6,443,573 and 5,734,357, the last disclosing a method of tracking eyeball positioning.
A device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,271 stated above consists of an image formulator in place of a standardized dashboard, as well as a heads-up projection system used to display the generated image onto the windshield and consists of a semitransparent mirror and a lens. Depending on environmental conditions, the driver has the option to either visually follow the gauge readings directly from the image formulated in place of a standard dashboard with the help of a semitransparent mirror, or its optically generated equivalent which is reflected off the windshield of a vehicle and is projected onto the external environment “behind” the windshield.A device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,573 is comprised of two image formulating channels, the low channel (direct line of sight) as well as the top channel (on the windshield), and each containing an independent visualizing element. The utilization of the low channel provides the driver with the ability to view the non-collimated data that is being reflected off a mirror. The top channel is equipped with a rotational dual positioned semi-reflective flat mirror as well as a secondary flat reflecting mirror with an adhesive Fresnel Lens. The implementation of the above listed components allows for a dual stage top channel image formulation. First stage is a short distance image display (via direct reflection off the mirror) and where the second stage is a long distance image display by utilizing collimation via means of the Fresnel Lens. The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,357 is listed as a reference relating to a method of tracking driver's pupil movement.
The device as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,271 contains two conceptual shortcomings:                With the mirror engaged and projecting onto the windshield, the displayed data is identical to that displayed on the dashboard. This places significant limits on size and shape of the projected data considering generally acceptable principles governing graphical data projection. For instance, the windshield projection of gauges and/or navigational map is not practical as the overabundance of images displayed onto the windshield can interfere with driver's awareness of the external environment which subsequently can contribute to a hazardous condition.        The usage of a semitransparent mirror providing the ability for visual tracking of data projected onto the windshield simultaneously with the identical image formulated on the dashboard significantly diminishes the brightness of both displays in turn negatively affecting the contrast of both displays, especially in highly illuminated external environments such as direct sunlight, tunnels and garages.The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,573 also consists of the following identified major shortcomings:        Image collimation only occurs on the top channel (the windshield) and only in a single position of the rotating semi-transparent mirror. The second position provides close distance image formulation with no collimation.        Introduction of a semi-transparent mirror in the optical system of the top channel causes decreased brightness levels in the non-collimated display mode by approximately two times while brightness levels in the collimated display mode are decreased approximately quad-fold        The low channel imaging is displayed via means of being reflected off a flat mirror with no collimation which effectively contradicts a set goal where all image formulation has to utilize collimated display.The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,357 utilizes and infrared system to track positioning of the driver's pupils in which the source of the infrared light is located on the dashboard, and where the receiving camera is built into the optical system of the indicator. The suggested system is once again unreasonably overcomplicated and possesses low sensitivity due to significant light loss while passing through the optical system of the device.        
The disclosed multifunctional collimator indicator allows to fully mitigate and/or significantly minimize the above stated shortcomings with respect to safe operation of an automobile and others including but not limited to motor vehicles, vessels and aircrafts. Simultaneously, the invention presents the operator with an array of visual information such as:                Virtual display of standardized needle style gauges and/or other digital indicators.        Display of a navigational map inside the traditional dashboard located in front of the driver as opposed to midsection of the dashboard.        Display of relevant individual parameters of a moving vehicle on the windshield.        Display of warning and other mnemonic signals in place of a standard dashboard as well as projecting them onto a windshield.        